Her focus is on the mechanism by which exogenous gangliosides enhance neuritogenesis. Using clonal neuroblastic cell lines, she will explore whether there is a relationship between ganglioside- induced neuritogenesis and expression of NCAM isoforms. To explore the role of the oligosaccharide portion of the ganglioside on neuritogenesis, she will isolate the oligosaccharide portion and link several together to form dendrimers. Then, she will turn to 2 models of peripheral nerve regeneration (crush and botulinus) to see if muscle reinnervation is accompanied by changes in NCAM isoforms.